Gary Payton II is a freaking dog

[BoatsNZones]

Gives them his early bird rights if they decide to keep him around (they probably should).

[a8bil]

GP II is perhaps the most explosive jumper I've seen in the NBA.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=33010262

[Flash Falcon X]

This man is a lockdown defender just like his dad. A defensive monster. A steal machine. It's crazy that he was available for any team to grab via waivers before this season starts.

He has been on NBA rosters each of the last 5 years and been given opportunities to play. He has been up to this point in his career a really bad offensive player. That's why he went unsigned during the offseason this summer.

It amazes me that this simple fact gets missed on all these guys. MKG, Dunn, RHJ, etc Coaches simply aren't going to give you regular rotation run if you make them play offense 4 on 5. They just aren't going to do it. Every year we get a guy who has one game like this and we get an OP like this and 2 weeks later that guy is back to DNP-CD because their offense is just so bad.

Now Kerr claims he's going to play more and I hope for the guy that he can do just enough to stay on the court, but nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

Nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

[SUPERVILLAIN]

He has been on NBA rosters each of the last 5 years and been given opportunities to play. He has been up to this point in his career a really bad offensive player. That's why he went unsigned during the offseason this summer.

It amazes me that this simple fact gets missed on all these guys. MKG, Dunn, RHJ, etc Coaches simply aren't going to give you regular rotation run if you make them play offense 4 on 5. They just aren't going to do it. Every year we get a guy who has one game like this and we get an OP like this and 2 weeks later that guy is back to DNP-CD because their offense is just so bad.

Now Kerr claims he's going to play more and I hope for the guy that he can do just enough to stay on the court, but nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

Nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

[Pachinko_]

GP II is perhaps the most explosive jumper I've seen in the NBA.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=33010262

GP:



Valanciunas:

[Flash Falcon X]

Warriors are #1 in the league in defense right now.

It starts with Draymond, but effort from guys like GPII help make a compound effect.

Also, Kerr already knows Payton isn't in the game for offense. That's why Kerr mainly puts him in at the end of quarters to help boost the energy for their defense. People are so used to the Warriors being known as a high scoring team that they forget GSW has always been a defensive team as well. It just gets overshadowed. Especially with guys like Draymond--people knock on him as a triple single donkey when they forget Draymond's key attribute is his elite defense (3rd in DPOY voting last season.)

Kerr loves defensive guys as much as he loves his shooters and passers. We hear all this talk about Steph and Klay's shooting that when a guy like GPII gets credit for something, the first thought on RealGM is "omg but he can't do da offense thooo."

I agree, they are the worst kind of posters, they don't appreciate hard work

Once I saw casuals doubting GPII for his lack of offense I just knew this would be a fun thread to revisit down the road.

Warriors are so known for their shooters that people forget they’ve always been an elite defensive team in their championship years.

Bogut
Livingston
Draymond
Iggy
Klay

Even Steph doing his best to maintain some intensity on the defensive end.

That’s how I knew GPII was gonna get minutes on this team. He hustles incredibly hard and that type of defense is what fuels the offense.

And with his athleticism, it’s a perfect match with the gravity that Steph provides. Kerr plays GPII like a 6’2” big man because he can finish so well in the paint lol.

[nfmos]

Any Warriors fan who saw him last year was scared that the team was looking to sign Avery Bradley in the off season instead of him. He just was one of those rare players that could completely change the game everytime he checked in, either by locking down a player, making effort plays and getting deflections or rebounds, or making the right cuts into spaces and getting easy layups or dunks. And the fact that he added a pretty reliable 3 point shot especially from the corners, was just the icing on the cake. Plus, he has been carrying himself like he was some sort of playoff veteran by some of the clutch plays he made in this series. GP2 has just been the greatest type of success story.

[Texas Chuck]

He has been on NBA rosters each of the last 5 years and been given opportunities to play. He has been up to this point in his career a really bad offensive player. That's why he went unsigned during the offseason this summer.

It amazes me that this simple fact gets missed on all these guys. MKG, Dunn, RHJ, etc Coaches simply aren't going to give you regular rotation run if you make them play offense 4 on 5. They just aren't going to do it. Every year we get a guy who has one game like this and we get an OP like this and 2 weeks later that guy is back to DNP-CD because their offense is just so bad.

Now Kerr claims he's going to play more and I hope for the guy that he can do just enough to stay on the court, but nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

Nobody should be surprised when he's not even on the roster at the end of the year.

I don't mind eating my crow. I was wrong.

But worth noting, you know who waived him prior to this season rather than have his full contract be gtd? The Golden State Warriors.

so at least I wasn't alone in how I missed on this guy.

[Capn'O]

They really might be light years ahead. Damnit.

[mccluskey]

Lots of reach in foul calls if not at home arena

exactly, I love the kid's aggressive defense but several of those steal attempts are drawing whistles anywhere else.

[KembaWalker]

Lots of reach in foul calls if not at home arena

exactly, I love the kid's aggressive defense but several of those steal attempts are drawing whistles anywhere else.

being named Gary Payton is probably a get out of foul free card on reach ins at least 5-10 times a game

[CoachD]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Someone please explain how this is not a double-dribble (3 secs in)

GS doesn't get called for double dribbles or moving screens.

[CoachD]

The OP is going a little overboard.

Payton Jr is a nice piece. A glue guy on a winning team. If he was on a non playoff team, he wouldn't change their outlook one fraction of a bit.

I watched him play a lot in the G league, and he was essentially the same guy. Play some D, hit a shot now and then, finish strong in transition ...

Let's not do that thing that always happens where people horribly overrate role players on good teams.

[CS707]

I'd probably die of shock if RGM ever collectively just acknowledged a player was really good at something.

[KembaWalker]

I'd probably die of shock if RGM ever collectively just acknowledged a player was really good at something.

Stephen Curry is a really good shooter
Joel Embiid is a really good flopper

anyone disagree?